Hokies Wrestling 2020: #3 Virginia Tech (6-0) AT Binghamton (2-4)

Match Information
Location: West Gym - Vestal, NY
Day & Time: 18 JAN 20 at 3:00pm
Viewing: FloWrestling and in-person
Updates: Twitter @HokiesWrestling, and Trackwrestling

The Opponent: Binghamton BearCats

2018-2019 Season and Now

Binghamton's dual record last year was 10-3 (8-2 EIWA) which placed them in 3rd within the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, during the regular season. The BearCats would fall to 6th when finished competing in their conference tournament though. Binghamton has lost lots of fire power and injuries have turned this years squad to being young, with two upperclassmen in the lineup. One of those upperclassmen is the only BearCat wrestler that is ranked: 184lber Lou Deprez (#6). Two of the four losses have come against ranked teams: #5 NC State and #12 Lehigh; while one of their wins have come against a ranked opponent, #24 South Dakota State.

Coach: Kyle Borshoff

Coach Borshoff is a young coach, going into his second year as head coach of Binghamton, but its his four year on this coaching staff. He was actually hired in December of 2017, so midseason, due to the previous head coach resigning for personal reasons. Kyle Borshoff's other coaching experience is being an assistant head coach at his alma mater, American University. Because his experience is so little, he does not have many accolades as a coach. He did send a Binghamton best, six wrestlers to the NCAA tournament for the 2018-2019 season.

Borshoff's coaching record stands at 21-12 as of right now. Personally, his collegiate wrestling record is 102-39 where we wrestled for American University between the years 2007-2010. He was a two time All-American.

The Line-Up

125lbs: Carson Sauriol (FR, Poway CA) or Audey Ashkar (r-JR, Liverpool NY)
As of now, Sauriol is the starter at the lightest weight. A true freshman who has wrestled in all but one of the BearCat's duals. His record is 7-10.

Ashkar was the starter last year, and started in the first dual for Binghamton. But he has not wrestled since mid-November and there is no news as to why. I highly doubt we will participate, but its worth noting anyway. His overall record is 50-27.

133lbs: Tommaso Frezza (FR, Buffalo Grove IL)
Another true freshman that is going through growing pains. He is 1-11 thus far. Frezza was thrust into the line up when previous starter, and NCAA qualifier, Zack Trampe sustained an injury in late November.

141lbs: Anthony Sparacio (SR, North Babylon NY)
A former transfer from Long Island University. He qualified for his first NCAA tournament last year, going 0-2. This year his record stands at 15-9, and VT's Mitch Moore has previously defeated him. His overall record is 55-28.

149lbs: Matthew Swanson (r-SO, Lynbrook NY)
Swanson is the incumbent starter at 149lbs. His record currently is 4-9 while his career record is 19-34.

157lbs: Chris Barker (SO, Fairport NY)
Barker has yet to take a redshirt, so he has been the starter at 157lbs in both of his collegiate year. His current record is 5-12 and his career record is only 17-25.

165lbs: Jacob Nolan (FR, Saranac NY)
Nolan is now the starter at 165lbs since Aiden Montiverde became injured at the Southern Scuffle. He has held his own, having a 2019-2020 record of 9-8, but has yet to win a dual match

174lbs: Alexander Melikian (r-JR, Mohegan Lake NY)
The other upperclassman on the roster, Melikian has bounced around the weight class of 197lbs down to 174lbs. He has finally broken the double digit win mark this year as he is currently 10-8. His overall record is 29-51.

184lbs: #6 Lou DePrez (r-SO, Hilton NY)
The best wrestler on this Binghamton roster by a long shot. He is 16-5 on the season with one of those losses coming to Virginia Tech's Hunter Bolen. He is this year's Southern Scuffle champion. He qualified for the NCAA tournament last year, finishing 3-2.

197lbs: Sam DePrez (FR, Hilton NY)
You guessed it, the little brother to Lou DePrez. He took over for Nunzio Crowley after his injury. His current record is 3-7 and has yet to win his first dual

HVY: Joe Doyle (r-SO, Richboro PA)
Last year, Joe Doyle just missed the NCAA tournament and is on the hunt to qualify for 2020. He is one of the few that has a winning record on this line up, going 12-8 this year and 47-37 for his career.

Match Thoughts

Virginia Tech goes into this match with six ranked wrestlers, but the numbers have changed: #12 Joey Prata (125lbs), #18 Mitch Moore (141lbs), #19 BC LaPrade (157lbs), #3 David McFadden (165lbs), #2 Hunter Bolen (184lbs), and #17 John Borst. There will be no changes to the line up, it will be the same as last week. Obviously everyone will be focused on the rematch of Bolen and DePrez. Other than that, look for the least skilled wrestler to pick up wins and everyone else tune up their technique. I see Smetlzer getting back on the win column, and Andonian making a statement win. If you didn't know, Hokies' coach Tony Robie started his coaching career at Binghamton so it will be sort of a homecoming.

Predictions

125: #12 Prata dec. Sauriol (3-0 VT)
133: Gerardi maj dec. Frezza (7-0 VT)
141: #18 M. Moore dec. Sparacio (10-0 VT)
149: Andonian maj dec. Swanson (14-0 VT)
157: #19 LaPrade dec. Hornfeck (17-0 VT)
165: #3 McFadden tech fall Nolan (22-0 VT)
174: Hughes dec. Melikian (25-0 VT)
184: #2 Bolen dec. #6 L. DePrez (28-0 VT)
197: Smeltzer dec. S. DePrez (31-0 VT)
285: #17 Borst dec Doyle (34-0 VT)

This is gonna be a blood bath as Binghamton is to young, not as skilled, and has injuries in it's line up. Weights 125lbs thorugh 165lbs, for Virginia Tech, could all get bonus points so it was tough to predict final score. Either way, Binghamton is gonna hang a donut. I'm very confident that Bolen will handle DePrez like he did at the Midlands. Other than that, it should be an easy match before the Hokies travel to Cornell the following day. Yours truly will be at both matches now that I live in central New York. So I'll be able to give matside updates.